Narrative:

Stormy night. Traffic delays to destination held aircraft on the ground approximately 1 hour. When called for release told we had to be airborne in 5 mins; after takeoff fly heading 200 degrees, maintain 3000'. Given clearance to climb to 11000', proceed direct mgw (185 degrees), best forward speed. Then cleared to 14000'. Next told to turn 20 degrees right for vectors for climb. Asked what our heading was (205 degrees). Told to turn right 10 degrees (215 degrees), climb and maintain FL230. Climbing through 16000' at 2000 FPM, ATC told us to maintain 16000'. We responded roger, but we were through 16000' and would go back down. Altitude reached, 16300'. Controller asked us for our altitude (16300'). We responded and asked the altitude for traffic at our 3 O'clock. Controller asked again our altitude. We said 16100'. We again asked for the altitude of traffic at our 3 O'clock. ATC said 17000'. This traffic passed directly over us (medium large transport Y). This situation was set up by a sequence of events due to severe WX warnings, traffic delays and a release of several aircraft from different airports at about the same time. Controller gave us radar vectors to avoid traffic, but ended up creating a problem by vectoring us too close to converging traffic (situational awareness). Shortly after this situation occurred, the controllers were changed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated that incident took place approximately 35 mi southwest of pit. The traffic was first observed at their 3 O'clock position at approximately 2 mi. Traffic passed directly over them. They were in VMC at the time of the error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 IFR ACFT CAME WITHIN 2 MILES AND 700' OF COLLIDING.

Narrative: STORMY NIGHT. TFC DELAYS TO DEST HELD ACFT ON THE GND APPROX 1 HR. WHEN CALLED FOR RELEASE TOLD WE HAD TO BE AIRBORNE IN 5 MINS; AFTER TKOF FLY HDG 200 DEGS, MAINTAIN 3000'. GIVEN CLRNC TO CLB TO 11000', PROCEED DIRECT MGW (185 DEGS), BEST FORWARD SPD. THEN CLRED TO 14000'. NEXT TOLD TO TURN 20 DEGS RIGHT FOR VECTORS FOR CLB. ASKED WHAT OUR HDG WAS (205 DEGS). TOLD TO TURN RIGHT 10 DEGS (215 DEGS), CLB AND MAINTAIN FL230. CLBING THROUGH 16000' AT 2000 FPM, ATC TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 16000'. WE RESPONDED ROGER, BUT WE WERE THROUGH 16000' AND WOULD GO BACK DOWN. ALT REACHED, 16300'. CTLR ASKED US FOR OUR ALT (16300'). WE RESPONDED AND ASKED THE ALT FOR TFC AT OUR 3 O'CLOCK. CTLR ASKED AGAIN OUR ALT. WE SAID 16100'. WE AGAIN ASKED FOR THE ALT OF TFC AT OUR 3 O'CLOCK. ATC SAID 17000'. THIS TFC PASSED DIRECTLY OVER US (MLG Y). THIS SITUATION WAS SET UP BY A SEQUENCE OF EVENTS DUE TO SEVERE WX WARNINGS, TFC DELAYS AND A RELEASE OF SEVERAL ACFT FROM DIFFERENT ARPTS AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME. CTLR GAVE US RADAR VECTORS TO AVOID TFC, BUT ENDED UP CREATING A PROB BY VECTORING US TOO CLOSE TO CONVERGING TFC (SITUATIONAL AWARENESS). SHORTLY AFTER THIS SITUATION OCCURRED, THE CTLRS WERE CHANGED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED THAT INCIDENT TOOK PLACE APPROX 35 MI SW OF PIT. THE TFC WAS FIRST OBSERVED AT THEIR 3 O'CLOCK POS AT APPROX 2 MI. TFC PASSED DIRECTLY OVER THEM. THEY WERE IN VMC AT THE TIME OF THE ERROR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.